Interview – Jessica Aszkensay
We are delighted to have had the opportunity to interview Jessica Aszkensay ahead of her bringing her show TITCLOWN to the Edinburgh Fringe next month.
Q. Tell us more about yourself and your show “TITCLOWN”?
A. Hello! I’m Jess. I’m a clown performer/OnlyFans content creator. I’m doing my first ever “proper” show this year. This will be my third Edinburgh and I’ve been performing since 2019. It’s a silly mad show about tits. I started working on it in Los Angeles with performance artist Claire Woolner last October and have also been collaborating with Cecily Nash. Expect joyful chaos orchestrated by me in a red swimsuit and, errr, tits.
Q. What are you looking forward to most about coming to the Edinburgh Fringe?
A. I love the first day when I arrive at Fringe because it all feels so magical. It’s a beautiful bubble of people doing shows and being creative and it all feels so joyful. I’m really looking forward to being a part of that bubble with a show I’m really proud of and having a nice time doing the thing I love the most in the world for a month.
Q. What drew you to the art form of clowning, and what advice would you give to anyone who wants to take up the art form?
A. First of all, I think everyone should do a clowning workshop at least once in their lifetime. It’ll be uncomfortable and exhilarating and it’s such a good tool for personal growth. Just be brave and be ready to die on your arse. There’s such freedom and confidence that comes with accepting being crap at something. That’s what drew me to clowning initially, the vulnerability. You connect with the audience on a different level than with stand-up. You have to relinquish control of how you’ll be perceived.
Q. What do you miss most about École Philippe Gaulier – the legendary but notoriously intense French acting/clown school, and living in France?
A. I lived in France for about 15 years (my mum lives over there) and I go back quite regularly. Shocker, the thing I miss most is the patisseries and the excellent quality of the food, in supermarkets not just in restaurants. When it comes to Gaulier, I really miss the community that comes with going to the school. We’re all in this tiny weird French town going to the same pubs and parks and restaurants. You see each other at your best and at your most vulnerable and you’re all forced to rub along together. You have to see the humanity in one another, even if you don’t always get along, which is quite beautiful.
Q. I rarely wear makeup and even then it’s just lip gloss, but in a world full of makeup and filters, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to go raw and unfiltered?
A. Do it. You’ll save loads of money, and your skin will thank you for it. Always remember to moisturise. But I want to emphasise, there’s also nothing wrong with wanting to look glam. At the end of the day, it’s about whatever makes you feel the most comfortable in your own skin. I just happen to be incredibly lazy. But I do enjoy getting dolled up from time to time.
Q. What advice would you give to anyone considering doing OnlyFans and is worried about the attitudes surrounding those on the site?
A. I would say think very carefully before going down the OF route. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: the stigma around it is real and lots of employers won’t take you on if they find out you have an OF account. I explored loads of different career options before deciding OnlyFans was something I wanted to pursue at age 30. I’d also done a lot of work on myself. Nasty comments and fluctuating sales don’t affect how I see myself. As empowering as it can be, I really wouldn’t advise anyone under the age of 25 to go down this route. I know lots do and become very successful, but I think back to myself when I was 21 and had no idea who I was and was an absolute mess. Being able to figure out who you are without strangers on the internet telling you is truly a blessing.
Q. What’s coming up next for you after the Fringe?
A. A big nap. Then I’ll go see my mum who I haven’t seen since Christmas as I’ve been slowly going mad making this show. And then probably just continue building my OF sex empire where I live by the coast while writing another show. I truly am the luckiest girl in the world that this is my life.
Jessica Aszkensay will be performing TITCLOWN in the Assembly Roxy (Snug Bar) at the Edinburgh Fringe from 30th July to 24th August (not 13th August) at 10.20pm. For more information and to book visit jessica aszkenasy: TITCLOWN | Edinburgh Festival Fringe.